In the recent past, swimming pools, decretive ponds and other contained bodies of water were constructed using concrete or other similar rigid materials. However, there were many problems with constructing such contained bodies of water with concrete and other rigid materials. The concrete was subject to cracking, buckling and chipping leading to leaks on the contained body of water. In colder climates, the cracking problem was even more severe as the contained body of water may be drained and experienced numerous freeze/thaw cycles during a winter season leading to additional cracking. Pools and other contained bodies of water made of concrete or other rigid materials need to be constantly maintained leading to high and perpetual maintenance costs.
In recent years, swimming pools, decretive ponds and other contained bodies of water are being constructed out of more pliable and durable materials such as vinyl and other similar materials. Such pools, decretive ponds, etc. include flexible vinyl liners and that are supported by rigid support walls. The flexible vinyl liners allow pools, ponds, etc. to be created that have innovative sizes and shapes and such contained bodies of water are no longer limited to rectangular and circular shapes.
The support walls comprise plastic, fiberglass, aluminum, pressure-treated wood, dirt and other materials. The walls typically have a top and bottom portion of eight to twelve inches in width connected by a thin panel but are hollow in between the top and bottom portions. The walls are supported by the bracing system that differs from installer to installer. To install a vinyl pool, decretive pond, etc. a hole is dug to reflect a desired size and shape and walls with a desired type of bracing are built around the hole. A liner is placed in the hole and connected to the walls typically by a vinyl rib at the outside of the liner. Holes are cut in the liner for drains, the filtration system and other necessary equipment. Fill material such as dirt and gravel is placed around the walls to give the walls support. The pool is then filled with water and checked for leaks.
However, there are also several problems associated with using vinyl or other flexible materials for pools, decretive ponds, etc. One problem is that it is difficult to include attachment points for ladders, chairs, sport equipment and other water based apparatus in the in the vinyl or other flexible material. Trying to include such attachment points often leads to leaks in the vinyl or other flexible material.
Another problem is that of stability and support for objects attached to attachment points. Vinyl is used for pools, ponds, etc. because of its flexibility. Providing an attachment point in a vinyl pool or pond typically requires an underlying support structure be able to handle significant forces applied to water equipment attached to the attachment points. For example, a 250 pound man holding onto and climbing up a pool ladder, or a water polo net pole withstanding hits to an attached net, etc. However, as was discussed above, the support walls are typically thin and hollow and do not provide any easy way of adequately adding attachment points. In addition, attachment points without rigid support structures also frequently leak and/or cause other damage such as tearing or ripping when a force is applied to equipment attached to the attachment points.
There have been attempts to solve some of the problems associated with attachment points for vinyl pools and ponds. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,561,134, entitled “Fitting assembly for vinyl lined pools,” that issued to Mathews et al. teaches a fitting and faceplate cap assembly, for use in swimming pools, and the like, with vinyl liners, comprises a fitting member which extends through an opening in the wall of the pool with a flange overlying the opening on the inner surface of the pool. The fitting is hollow to adapt it for connection to water return lines or drain lines commonly used in such swimming pools. The flange on the fitting has a circular groove formed in it with a pair of enlarged recesses extending from the groove on opposite sides of the opening through the fitting. The faceplate cap includes a circular ridge with a pair of spaced projections for matingly engaging the groove and recesses in the faceplate of the fitting. A gasket is attached to the inner surface of the faceplate cap. This gasket has a tacky adhesive on the exposed surface which faces the flange so that when the cap is pressed into place over a vinyl liner (installed in a conventional manner) to engage the groove in the flange, the tacky adhesive on the gasket engages and holds the vinyl liner in place. The cap and fitting are subsequently pressed tightly together by means of a threaded insert in the common opening of the fitting and cap.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,980,934, entitled “Retrofittable receptor device” that issued to Dahowski, et al. describe a longitudinal receptor construction for insertion into a channel or opening and for holding a desired element is provided. The receptor has an inverted L-shape cross section in which a horizontal leg is advantageously suited for retrofit usage in an existing groove or channel opening and has locking features which afford substantially improved capability for holding the receptor and the element inserted into the receptor. The groove into which the receptor is positioned may be the groove contiguous to a swimming pool coping and may be the same groove devised for and used to hold another element such as the peripheral bead of a swimming pool liner. Sufficient gripping force by the horizontal receptor leg in the locking groove or channel is provided by the receptor leg configuration which prevents dislodging of the receptor leg by forces pulling on the receptor or other member which may be present in the opening. Advantageously the receptor may be used on an existing pool coping which has a channel or groove into which the peripheral bead of a vinyl liner which covers the swimming pool bottom is positioned. The securing leg of the receptor of the invention is of slender construction and contoured that it can be accommodated, together with the bead of the swimming pool liner, within a conventional pre-existing channel or groove such as that in the upper inner wall or coping of a swimming pool which houses the bead of a pool liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,706 entitled “Fitting assembly for vinyl lined pools” that issued to Barnes describes fitting assembly for use in swimming pools, spas, and the like with vinyl liners, comprises a fitting member which is mounted in an opening in the wall of the pool, either flush with the pool wall or with a flange extending over the interior of the pool wall near the opening. The fitting member has a recess in it about its periphery. The vinyl liner then is placed over the fitting member; and a clamp member, which has a predetermined thickness not greater than the depth of the recess, is secured in the recess of the fitting member over the vinyl liner to clamp the vinyl liner between the clamp and the recess of the fitting member. This provides a flush mount or nearly flush mount of the fitting member with the vinyl liner of the pool.
However, these inventions still do not solve all of the problems associated with attachment points for vinyl pools or ponds. It is desirable to provide an attachment point to a vinyl pool or pond that is strong enough to withstand substantial forces.